EA FC 26 wishlist: 5 things we’d like to see

As we edge closer to a potential EA FC 26 release date, there has been no shortage of fans curious about what will change with the game’s latest edition.

There have been only small nuggets of information about the game so far, leaving fans’ levels of anticipation heightened. In the spirit of raising that even more, we’ve gone ahead and written down the top five things that should be added to FC 26.

The latest EA FC 26 news has the game slated for a September release. Among the leaks we’ve seen so far, including rumours of a World Cup ‘26 mode alongside chatter of new Icons including Iniesta, Zlatan, and Steffi Jones, few have hinted at any major changes coming to EA FC game modes.

FC 26 will also, interestingly, see the franchise’s first steps at becoming an MMO. EA has long since teased the idea of introducing open-world elements to the game, and the latest game will likely be the first taste of this, according to popular leaker FUT Latest.

This is, unfortunately, the most boring feature to put in a wishlist for FC 26, but someone has to ask for improved crossplay integration. This is particularly in the hopes of getting rid of cheaters on PC. If crossplay is going to remain a core part of the franchise, EA’s anti-cheat measures have to live up to fans’ expectations and needs.

An overhaul to Pro Clubs is another upgrade that fans of the franchise have been hoping for among the new EA FC 26 changes. Despite the prominence of live-service features in Ultimate Team and Volta, Pro Clubs saw little of this. The cosmetics store was largely superficial, and players found persistent issues with the slow and unrewarding grind of the levelling system.

Our main changes towards Pro Clubs include the following:

Ideally, the game mode would receive as much care and attention as Ultimate Team does. However, this could be a double-edged sword, especially regarding live-service updates. While better seasonal challenges, limited-time cups, and mini-tournaments might keep players more engaged with the mode, there’s also the worry that it could see Pro Clubs take on too many microtransactions and pay-to-win elements.

Ultimate Team has been a vital, if not the most important, part of the franchise for as much as a decade now. It is structured to allow fans to play competitively or casually, while also relying on trading card game elements to keep players engaged through live-service updates.

However, this game mode has not gone without its play-to-win criticisms. In order to counteract this, Ultimate Team should introduce transparent probability odds for packable items. 

This should also be paired with better alternatives to purchasing packs. Squad Builder Challenges (SBCs) do offer this, though they are a brutal grind and don’t always offer rewards that fit your team. An alternative solution would be an SBC recycling system, allowing you to be more tactical with your SBC rewards.

Year after year, Career Mode fans are left hard done by EA. However, by showing it some love, EA FC 26 could finally change this. The first thing we’re requesting is dynamic storylines: high-value signings collapsing under the weight of their transfer fees, players performing poorly due to social issues, and realistic player growth. These narratives could be based on match outcomes, transfer rumours, training decisions, and decisions made on the pitch.

With Football Manager 25 having been cancelled, there’s a shifting urge for FC 26 to take on some of its responsibilities. One aspect that FC 25 already began touching on, and its sequel should run with further, is the ability of players to hire and fire staff for their club. This would give players much more flexibility and control over their team’s management staff, and having creative control over physios and youth staff could play into the dynamic storylines in very interesting ways.

Finally, the most exciting change that fans could hope for is the inclusion of an Online Career Mode. However, one of the difficult roadblocks in actualising this would be aligning time-based progression with head-to-head matches.

In an ideal world, we’d be able to see players all signed up to the same league, making transfers with each other, battling it out in press conferences, and then getting ready for a cold, rainy night in Stoke. It’s not a particularly far-fetched idea either. Madden has had its online “Franchise” mode since 2024, suggesting that EA already has the technical know-how to implement it.

Another feature relating to an Online Career Mode would be uniquely assigned objectives based on player styles and histories. If implemented well, an Online Career Mode could become one of the most engaging and community-driven modes in the franchise’s history, and it has long been one of the most requested features in EA FC 26.

Those are the five features fans want in EA FC 26, though the likelihood of seeing them all at once is slim. EA will release more details regarding prospective features and game modes, and the official announcement of the game will bring many of these.